Siphon



PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904.

S. W. MILLER.

SIPHON.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET. 1.

N0 MODEL.

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' 'N0.749,445. I PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904.

s. W. MILLER.

SIPHON.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1902. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

s; W. MILLER.

SIBHON. APPLIUATION IiLED DEC. 26, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904.-

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

use in connection with a system employed for Patented January 12, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIPHON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,445, dated January12, 1904.

Application file. December 26, 1902. Serial No. 136,681. (No model.) i

. Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements 1n Siphons; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus designed for controlling the flowof liquid from a main tank or receptacle which is adapted to tive order.

An apparatus embodying my invention is generally like that shown in theprior application for United States Letters Patent of Moses James Adams,Serial No. 129,265, filed October 29, 1902, wherein a number of siphonsare located in a single tank and designed to bebrought alternately intooperation to empty said tank.

The apparatus may be used wherever it is i desired to distribute liquidfrom a central or dosing tank to a number of outlying tanks orreceptacles and is especially applicable for the septic treatment ofsewage to purify the same, the apparatus being located when used forthis purpose between the septic-tank and the contact or filter beds of asewage-purifying system, so as to receive the sewage from y theseptic-tank and properly distribute the is to so connect the severalsiphons as to enable one or more of the siphons to be cut out of theoperative series and to change the order of rotation of the siphons.

The invention consists of the matters hereinaftcr set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section thereof taken on line2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig.2. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the oblique line 4.1 of Fig. 1. 5, 6, and 7 are diagrammatic views illustrating threestages of the operation of the siphons.

As shown in the drawings,'A designates a tank which may be termed a maindistributing or dosing tank and is adapted for connection with a sourcesupplying liquid such, for instance, as a septic-tank-through the mediumof apipe A. Said tankis usually made of masonry or concrete structureand when used in connection with a sewage-purifying system is usuallymade of sufficient capacity to contain a charge of sewage sufiicient tofill either of the contact or filter beds in connection with which it isused. The contents of said tank is designed to be emptied into aplurality of receptacles (not shown) through the medium of a pluralityof siphons B B B B which are located in said tank, near one sidethereof, as herein shown. The short or intake limb 7) of each siphon, asshown, consists of a downwardly-opening bell which is supported over theupper end of the longerlimb b. Said longer limb of each siphoncommunicates with a deep sealtrap-7) the shorter or outlet limb of whichempties into a pipe or conduit C, which leads to one of the contact orfilter beds or other suitable place for the disposal of .liquiddischarged through the siphon. When the siphons are installed and priorto the commencement of their operation, the traps thereof may all befilled with liquid, and when the tank has been almost filled one of thesiphons may be set into operation before the others through somemechanical contrivance or one of the traps of said siphons may be onlypartially filled, so that the siphon associated therewith will be thefirst to operate. During the operation of the initially-operable siphonto empty the tank the trap of said siphon is automatically filled by theliquid, which passes thereinto from the tank, and the several siphonsare so connected, as in the prior Adams construction before mentioned,that the traps of all of the siphons excepting the one next to bebrought into operation (and usually the siphon next in advance of thesiphon just op crated with respect to the direction of rotative order ofoperation of the siphons) are refilled or reprimed, so that when thetank is again filled a single one of the siphons has a partially-filledtrap, and therefore a seal which will be overcome before the seals ofthe other siphons, whereby the siphon so having the partially-filledtrap will be brought next into operation to empty the tank, the othersiphons in thetank remaining at this time idle or inoperative. 1 haveherein termed the seal of the partially-filled trap a weakened seal, forthe reason that it is the first seal to be forced when the tank is againfilled, though of course it is understood that the depth of the liquidcolumn in the outlet limb of the trap at the time the siphon is forcedremains unchanged. The means for maintaining said predetermined rotativeorder of operation of the siphons herein shown are constructed asfollows: Associated with said siphons and lobers or wells 1) to D onefor each siphon. The siphons are herein shown as arranged in a straightrow, and the chambers or wells are similarly disposed in rear of thesiphons. The siphons may, if desired, be arranged in a circular serieswith the chambers or wells 1) to D located either inside or outside ofsaid circular series. Said chambers D to D extend below the bottom orfloor of the tank A to provide sealing-chambers (Z, as shown in Figs. 2and 4.

E E designate a plurality of siphons associated one with each chamber orwell. The intake-limb of each siphon is located in one of the chambersor wells D to D and the outletlimb thereof is connected with theadjacent siphon through the medium of a connectingpipe 6, the pipe 1:entering the longer limb of the siphon or its trap. The lower ends ofthe receiving-limbs of the siphons E extend into the sealing extensionof the chambers D to D Each of the chambers or wells 1) to D is providedwith another siphon, F, which is preferably located wholly within saidchamber, with its lower end extending into the sealing extension of saidchamber. The outlet-limb of each of said siphons F discharges throughthe medium of a connecting-pipe f into one of the siphons B to B or thetrap thereof which is located in advance of the siphon whichcommunicates through one of the siphons E with the associated chamber ofsaid siphon F. It will be seen, therefore, that each of the chambers DtoD is connected directly with its associated siphon through one of thesiphons E and is connected with another siphon of the series B to Blocated in advance of the first-mentioned siphon with respect to thesequence of operation of the siphons B to B through one of the siphonsF. Both of the siphons E F of limbs of the several traps is depressed.the depression-of the liquid takes place in the cated in the tank A area number of cham- E said chambers are adapted at the proper time in theoperation of the apparatus to drain their associated wells or chambers DD. It may be here stated that it is not essential that the siphons F belocated wholly within the chambers D to D or the receiving-limb of thesiphons E extend into said chambers, through the tops thereof, so longas they are arranged to empty said chambers in the manner hereinafter tobe described.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: It may be assumed thatbefore filling the tank A all of the traps of the'siphons B to B butonethe trap of siphon B, for instanceis filled, the latter trap beingbut par tially filled, as shown in Fig. 5, said Fig. 5 illustrating thelevel of the liquid in the tank and the several traps before the tank Ais filled. After said traps have been filled or primed in the mannershown the tank A is filled through the pipe A, and as said tank is beingfilled the liquid in the longer or intake intake-limbs of the trapswhich are filled, it escapes in corresponding quantities from the upperend of the outlet-limbs of said traps. The depression of the liquid inthe longer leg of the partially-filled trap and its rise in theintake-limb of the siphon having such partially-filled trap, however,takes place more slowly until after the liquid begins to flow from saidtrap, for the reason that up to this time the difference between theliquid-levels in the two limbs of the trap becomes greater relatively tothe corresponding levels in the filled traps, and the pressure requiredto force the liquid to the shorter or outlet leg of the trap which waspartially filled is gradually increased. \Vhen a certain depth of liquidin the tank A is reached, the liquid in the longer limb of thepartially-filled trap (the trap of siphon B in the present instance) isdepressed, as shown in Fig. 6, until the seal is forced and the siphon Bstarted into operation to empty the tank A. When such operation of thesiphon B takes place, the liquid of the tank A will be dischargedthrough said siphon; but the other siphons B B B will remain idle orinactive, as the pressure exerted by the liquidhead in the tank isinsufficient to force the seals in the traps of said siphons, as isclear from an inspection of said Fig. 6. The reason why one siphon ofthe series is thus brought into action and the others remain idle may beunderstood from the following: Owing to the fact that the liquid in theunfilled trap stands a considerable distance below the overflow end ofthe outlet side of the trap the depression of the liquid in the inletside of said trap raises the level of the liquid in the outlet side ofthe trap a corresponding distance, so that a unit depression in theinlet side or limb of the trap is represented by a difference of twounits in the liquid-level between said limbs of the trap and thedifference between the liquidlevels in the limbs of said trap increasesat each instant of depression in the inlet side of the trap in the sameratio until the liquid overflows from the upper end of the outletlimb ofthe trap. In the case of the traps which were entirely filled a unitdepression of the liquid in the intake sides of the traps represents aunit difference in the liquid-levels between the inlet and outlet limbsof the traps. It follows, therefore, that the difference between thelevels of liquid in the limbs of the partiallyfille'd trap becomesgradually greater during the period mentioned relatively to thecorrespondmg levels in the limbs of the traps which were entirelyfilled, and the resistance to the rise of the liquid in the intake-limbof said siphon B is corresponding] y greater, and the rise will takeplace more slowly under the same rise of liquid in the tank than in theintake-limbs of the traps which were wholly filled. As aconsequence ofthis condition it follows, if no account be taken of the effect offriction and compression of the column of air in the siphon and trap,that a unit difference between the liquid-levels in the limbs of thepartially-filled trap is repsame level in the tank A'than in theintakelimbs of the siphon having their traps entirely filled, so that aheight of liquid in the tank measured from the sealing-levels of thesiphons required to produce a head to force the siphon having its trappartially filled is insufficient to produce a head required to force thesiphons having their traps entirely filled. If no account be taken ofthe effect of friction and the depression of the columns of air in thesiphons and traps, the liquid will rise in the intake-limbs of thesiphons to an extent equal sides of the traps, as before stated.

" i which will insure that the liquid in the intakelimb of the siphonwill not rise so high before its seal is overcome or forced by theliquidhead in the tank as to overflow the receiving end of the longerlimb of the siphon. Such margin of safety is computed with respect to ithe dimensions of the intake-limb of the siphon relatively to the lengthand diameter of the outlet-limb of the siphon and of the trap. Havingprovided such margin of safety in a plurality of siphons operating inthe manner herein set forth to empty a tank, (which margin will be thesame for all the siphons,) it is found that the difference between thecompression of the air-columns in the siphons having the filled andunfilled traps and the differences between the effects of friction areso small that they need not be taken into consideration when installingthe siphons to operate in the manner hereinbefore described-forinstance, an eight-inch-deep trap siphon of uni form diameter from theintake-limb of the siphon to the outlet-limb of the trap and having atrap of 2.27 feet in depth the difference in compression of the columnsof air (measured in linear feet) between a siphon having its trap halffilled and one having its trap entirely filled is approximately .07 of afoot, and the difference between the effect of friction in two suchsiphons is inconsiderable. 1n practice,therefore,it may be assumed withsubstantial accuracy that after the intake-limbs of the siphon arrangedand operating as herein shown are sealed (which occurs in this instancewhen the lower ends of the auxiliary vent-pipes shown are submerged) theliquid rises in the intake-limbs of the siphons in a quantitysubstantially equal to that displaced in the intake sides or limbs ofthe deep-seal traps, the difference between the rise of liquid in theintake-limbs of the siphons and the depression of the liquid in theintake sides of the trap due to the compression of air and effects offriction being so small relatively to the difference of levels in thetank necessary to bring the siphons into operation that it need not betaken into account, as above stated. it will be observed, therefore,that the height to which the liquid rises in the intake-limbs of thesiphons is dependent upon the quantity of liquid originally contained inthe intake sides of the traps, the rise in the intake-limbs of thesiphons corresponding in quantity to the quantity of liquid displacedfrom the intake sides of the traps plus the height of the liquid columnrepresented by the ,compression of the columns of air in such siphonsand traps and by the effect due to friction. As the head of liquid inthe tank necessary to force the traps of several siphons located thereinis always the same under similar conditions of proportions and levels,(and it is assumed that the siphons are set or proportioned to operateunder similar conditions of head,) the liquid is required to rise to agreater height in the tank (measured from the sealing-levels of theintakelimbs of" the siphons) to force the traps originally filled thanto force the trap only partially filled, the liquid in the intake-limbsof the siphons having wholly-filled traps rising to a greater heightthan in the siphon having a partially- ITO , filled trap.

eration the siphons having wholly-filled traps than to set intooperation the siphon having the partially-filled trap.

plurality of siphons are located in the same a uid in the tank issufficient to force the trap which was partially filled it is notsufficient to force the traps which were wholly filled. This will bemade clear upon an inspection of Fig. 6 of the drawings, whichillustrates the tank filled'to the depth required to force the trap ofsiphon B, which originally had a partially-filled trap, and from suchinspection it it will be observed that the difference between the levelof the liquid in the intake-limbs of siphons B B B and the level of theliquid in the tank is less than the depth of the seals of their trapsand not suflicient to produce a head to force their traps. It is evidentthat when siphonic action is started in siphon B the tank will beemptied through said siphon B to the sealing-level of the mouth of theintake-limb of said siphon B and that the other siphons will remainidle. This is due to the fact that the air locked in the siphons B B Bis not, released until the liquid-level in the tank is below thesealing-level of said siphons B B B, and when this occurs the tank-levelis below the intake ends of the longer limbs of said siphons B B B, sothat liquid from the tank will not flow therethrough. Y By reason of theconnection of said siphon B with its associated chamber or well 1)through the medium of one of the siphons E and its connecting-pipe saidsiphon E acts at thetime of the operation of said siphon B to empty theliquid from the chamber or well D through said siphon B. The otherchambers or wells 1). D D are not, however, emptied through the siphonsE into and through their associated siphons B B 13 for the reason thatthe pressure existing in said siphons B )2 B due to the liquid-head inthe tank A is such as to prevent operation of said last-mentionedsiphons E, said pressure holding the siphons E, associated with the idlesiphon, out of operation until the level of the liquid drops below theoperating-level of the siphons E. It will be understood that theoperating-siphon (the siphon B in the instance assumed) will fill itsown trap during the emptying operation in the usual manner, so that whenthe emptying operation ceases the trap of said siphon B is filled, asshown in Fig. 7. The traps of the other siphons B B B are not filled inthis manner, because there is no flow of liquid therethrough during theemptying of the tank.

{ Consequently if said siphons B B B were hen, therefore, a

not provided with filling means the amount of liquid remaining in thetraps thereof after the tank is emptied is only a little more than thatcontained in the shorter limbs of said traps just before the tank-isemptied, the liquid from the shorter limbs of the traps settling backupon the diminishment of pressure in the siphons partially into thelonger limbs thereof until the levels are equal in both limbs of eachtrap.

By reason of the connection of the several siphons B to B inclusive,with the several wells or chambers D to I)", inclusive, through thesiphons F and connecting-pipes f when pressure in the inactive or idlesiphons is sufficiently diminished, due to the lowering of theliquid-level in the tank A, all the chambers or wells 1) to D inclusive,but one are emptied through their associated siphons F andconnecting-pipes f into the traps of the siphons B to B", with whichsaid pipes fare connected, and the capacity of said chambers is suchthat the liquid therein is sufiicient to sufiicien tly fill the trapsinto which said liquid is discharged. The well or chamber 1) to I)",connected by the siphon E with the siphon which has just operated toempty the tank, is emptied-or partially emptied by its siphon E, so thatthe siphon-trap into which the siphon F, connected with saidpartially-emptied chamber or well, will not be filled, as are the othertraps, for the reason that said chamber is emptied below theoperating-level of the siphon F therein. In Fig. 7 is shown the level ofthe liquid in the several traps after the siphon B has operated to emptythe tank. The trap of siphon B has been automatically filled by theemptying flow of water therethrough and the traps of siphons B B havebeen filled through their associated siphons F; but the trap of siphon Bremains but partially filled. hen, therefore, the tank A is againfilled, the said siphon B so having the partially-filled trap, andtherefore a weakened seal as compared with the other siphons, will nextbe brought into operation, while all the other siphons B to B" willremain idle. In the instance assumed the siphon B upon operating toempty the tank brings into action siphon E, connected with chamber 1),to empty said chamber D, so that when the time is reached that thesiphons F are brought into operation in the other chambers the level ofthe liquid in the chamber D IIO has dropped below the operating-level ofthe associated siphon F, so that the trap of siphon B, with which thechamber D is connected by siphon F, is partially filled, when filled,and its seal is therefore weaker than the other siphons B B 13 hen saidsiphon B 1s brought into operation to empty the tank, its associatedchamber or well I) is emptied through the siphon E, connecting the wellor chamber D with the siphon B, so that when the siphons F are broughtnext into operation there will be no flow of liquid from the chamber Dto fill, through the associated siphon F, the trap of the idle siphon Bwith which said siphon F is connected; but the traps of the other idlesiphons will be filled from the wells or chambers through theirassociated siphons F. When the tank A is next filled, therefore, it willbe emptied through the siphon B having the 'iartially-filled trap. Inthis manner the rotative order of emptying the tank through the severalsiphons is established and maintained. In the present instance thesiphons are shown as arranged in a straight line across the tank, sothat in discharges through its siphon E into the trap of the firstsiphon B of the series. The tankemptying siphons may be arranged inacircular series and the chambers or wells suitably arranged, so as to beconnected with said siphons in substantially the same manner ashereinbefore described. It will .be observed that upon the operation ofeach siphon B to B to empty the tank the liquid of the chamber or well Dto D connected with that siphon through one of the siphons F, isdischarged into the trap of the operating-siphon; but inasmuch as thesaid operating-siphon fills its own trap the discharge of theliquidthereinto from the well or chamber D to D will not effect itsoperation.

It may be desirable in some instances to temporarily cut one of thetank-emptying siphons out of the operating series. This may be madedesirable when the apparatus is used in connection with asewage-purifying plant in order that the contact or filter bed uponwhich one of the siphons discharges may be put out of action for thepurpose of resting or repairing the same. I have herein shown means forso cutting out either of the siphons from the with cut-off valves g,located one betwene each two adjacent pipes 1 Said valves g remainclosed so long as all of the siphons remain in the operative series.Each of the pipes (2 is also provided with two valves (2 c located oneoneach side of the pipe (ir. The valves 6 c are normally open. The pipe1: of siphon'E, associated with the last chamber .D ofthe series, isconnected by a pipe Gr with the similar pipe of siphon E, associatedwith the chamber D. Said pipe G is provided with a valve 9 The pipe (aof the siphon E, associated with the chamber lf, is also providedbetween the pipe (JV and the chamber with a valve which is normallyopen. With this construction and arrangement, if it be assumed that thesiphon B is to be next operjated to empty the tank and it is desired tolcut out the siphon B in the succeeding emptying operation and to shiftthe emptying operation to the siphon B this may be accomplished asfollows: The valve of the siphon E, associated with the chamber D andlocated between the pipe G and said chamber, is closed, the valve eassociated with the cham ber D is closed, while the valve g in the pipeGr between the chambers D and D is opened. WVith this adjustment of thevalves when the siphon B is brought into operation liquid from thechamber D and not the chamber D is discharged into the trap of thesiphon B, the connections between said chamber D and siphon B embracingthe siphon E associated with the chamber D, that part of the pipe Gextending between the said siphon E, and the connecting-pipe e of thesiphon E, associated with the chamber or well D, and saidlast-mentionedpipe During the operation of the siphon B liquid from the chamber D istherefore discharged through said said siphon into the trap of thesiphon B, so that the trap of siphon B which communicates with thechamber D by one of the siphons F, is not filled. When the tank A isagain filled, therefore, said siphon B is next brought into action toempty the tank, because its trap is only partially filled. The valves c,6 and g may obviously be operated to separately cut out either of thesiphons from the operating series and may also be operated to cut outtwo or more adjacent siphons of the series, if desired, and the rotativeorder of the newly-established series may be maintained so long as thevalve adjustment be not changed.

So far as the general or broad aspect of my invention is concerned, itis to be understood that the construction of the several parts may bevaried, it being only necessary that the several parts he so constructedas to perform their proper functions in connection with the other partsof the apparatus.

, It has been herein stated that the siphons B to B are constructed tooperate under similar conditions, and it will be understood that thiscorrespondence may be maintained though the particular construction ofthe parts be widely varied.

Reference has been made herein to refilling the traps of certain of thesiphons after each operation of the siphons. It will be understood,however, that such term does not necessarily mean that the trap will becompletely filled, it only being necessary that said traps be filled toa greater extent than the trap of the siphon next to be brought intooperation, so that the difierence of liquid-levels therein will besufficiently greater to insure the maintenance of the rotative order ofoperation of the siphons.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a liquid tank orreceptacle of a series of trapped siphons for emptying the same andmeans operating at the time of the flow of one of the siphons forrefilling the trap or traps of certain of the idle siphon or siphons ofthe series by liquid which hasnotpassed into the operating-siphon.

2. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series oftrapped siphons for emptying the same, and means operating at the timeof the flow of one of the siphons for refilling from the liquid in saidtank which has not passed into the operating-siphon, the trap or trapsof the siphon or siphons of the series with the exception of the trap ofthe siphon next to be brought into operation.

3. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series ofsiphons for emptying the same, a plurality of chambers which areseverally associated with said siphons and filled from the same sourcesupplying liquid to said tank, and means operating at the time of theflow of liquid through one of the siphons for repriming certain of theother siphons of the series by liquid directed thereto from certain ofsaid chambers.

4. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series ofsiphons for emptying the same, a plurality of chambers in saidtank, ofless depth than the tank and filled from the liquid in the tank, andmeans operating at the time of the flow of liquid through one of thesiphons for refilling certain of the other siphons of the series byliquid directed thereto from certain of said chambers.

5. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series ofsiphons having trapped discharge-limbs acting severally to empty thesame, a series of chambers severally associated with said siphons andfilled from the source supplying liquid to said tank, means wherebyliquid from each chamber is discharged into and through its associatedsiphon when the latter is in operation, and means for dischargingliquidfrom each chamber to an idle siphon of the series for the purpose ofrefilling the trap of the latter.

6. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series ofsiphons having trapped discharge-limbs for emptying the same, a seriesof chambers severally associated with said siphons and filled from thesource supplying liquid to said tank, a siphon for emptying each of saidchambers and discharging into the associated tankem1 )tying siphon, anda second siphon communicating with each chamber and discharging into atank-emptying siphon associated with another chamber of the series.

7 The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series ofsiphons having trapped discharge-limbs for emptying the same, a seriesof chambers severally associated with said siphons and filled from thesource supplying liquid to said tank, a siphon for emptying each of saidchambers and discharging into the associated tank-emptying siphon, asecond siphon communicating with each chamber and discharging into atank-emptying siphon associated with another chamber of the series andmeans for sealing the receiving ends of said chamber-emptying siphons.

8. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series oftrapped siphons for emptying the same, means for bringing said siphonsalternately into operation in a given order, embracing means actingduring the flow of one of the siphons for filling the trap or traps ofcertain of the idle siphon or siphons and means for cutting certain ofthe siphon or siphons out of the operative series.

9. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series ofsiphons for emptying the same, a plurality of chambers which areseverally associated with said siphons and filled from the same sourcesupplying liquid to said tank, means operating at the time of the flowof liquid through one of the siphons for sealing certain of the othersiphons of the series by liquid directed thereto from certain of saidchambers, and means for cutting cer tain of the siphons out of theoperative series.

10. The combination with a liquid tank or receptacle, of a series ofsiphons having trapped discharge-limbs for emptying the same, a seriesof chambers severally associated with said siphons and filled from thesource supplying liquid to said tank, a siphon for emptying each of saidchambers and discharging into the associated tank-emptying siphon, apipe communicating with each of the siphons, Valves in said pipes andthe siphons, whereby either operating-siphon may be cut out of theoperative series, and a second siphon communicating with each chamberand discharging into a tank-emptying siphon associated with anotherchamber of the series.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afiix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of December, A.D. 1902.

SIDNEY IV. MILLER. Witnesses:

GERTRUDE BRYCE, GEORGE R. VVILKINs.

